Codemasters has announced that it will not release any further expansions for the 2023 title, EA Sports WRC, marking the end of their journey with the game. The studio has also decided to "pause development plans on future rally titles," a decision that was published on EA.com. This news has come as a significant disappointment to the rallying community, especially given Codemasters' storied history with off-road racing games.
The studio's statement reflects on their journey, saying, “Our WRC partnership was a culmination of sorts for our Codemasters journey with off-road racing, spanning decades through titles like Colin McRae Rally, and Dirt. We’ve provided a home for every rally enthusiast, striving tirelessly to push the boundaries and deliver the exhilarating thrill of driving on the ragged edge. We’ve brought together incredibly talented racing developers, worked with some of the sport’s icons, and had the opportunity to share our love of rallying.”
The World Rally Championship has acknowledged this news on social media, hinting that the "WRC gaming franchise is going in an ambitious new direction with more news coming in the near future." This cryptic message leaves fans wondering what the future holds for the beloved racing franchise.
The cessation of Codemasters' rally game development is particularly poignant following EA’s acquisition of the storied British racing studio in 2020. This move by EA is seen as a bitter pill for motorsports enthusiasts, especially in the context of recent layoffs affecting over 300 employees at EA, including around 100 at Respawn Entertainment.
Codemasters has been a pioneering force in rally gaming for nearly three decades, beginning with the iconic 1998 release, Colin McRae Rally. This game launched a series that evolved through various iterations, notably transitioning to the Dirt series after Colin McRae's passing in 2007. The series saw a significant shift with 2009’s Dirt 2 (known as Colin McRae: Dirt 2 in Europe and other PAL regions), and a return to hardcore simulation with 2015’s Dirt Rally.
The 2023 release, EA Sports WRC, was the first Codemasters rally game to feature an official WRC license since 2002’s Colin McRae Rally 3. According to IGN’s review, EA Sports WRC managed to capture the essence of 2019’s Dirt Rally 2.0 within an officially licensed World Rally Championship setting. However, the game was marred by technical issues, such as screen tearing, which subsequent updates aimed to address. Despite these challenges, the game was described as a "great racing game trying to fight its way out of an unfinished one."
